What to expect when you are not expecting
PERIMENOPAUSE?
Feeling unprepared for midlife changes? Too soon.. Scary.. Feeling completely out of control?
You are not alone! You are like the most women looking for help to navigate through this season of life. And, you deserve to understand your body, your hormones, and find the balance, body confidence and piece of mind with your hormones and other body changes.
You are not alone! You are like the most women looking for help to navigate through this season of life. And, you deserve to understand your body, your hormones, and find the balance, body confidence and piece of mind with your hormones and other body changes.
Are you age of 35 or over and are experiencing at least 3 of these symptoms, meaning that you could be in perimenopause.
- Shorter cycles/ irregular cycles becomes due to decline of Progesterone. Doctors will offer prescribe Mirena coil, which releases a form of synthetic Progesterone (as oppose to natural Progesterone such as Ultrogestan). This can suppress ovarian function, and make periods lighter and shorter, and often causes them to stop altogether. Other side effects are weigh gain, hair loss and acne.
- Heavier or more painful periods can be due to decreasing levels of Progesterone and fluctuating levels of Oestrogen.
- Libido changes: Loss of libido, vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex and frequency of sexual activities deteriorate during the menopause transition. Progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone are all produced in various amounts by our ovaries and they are key players in libido. Testosterone is the main hormone for causing sexual desire and this declines by about 50% between the ages of 20-45 years. Declining oestrogen levels results in physical changes like vaginal dryness and thinning of the vaginal wall. Both can make sex uncomfortable or even painful affecting both desire and response. Stress, worries, and other physical symptoms including change in body shape and weight gain, irregular or heavy periods, fatigue won't make to feel very sexy either.
- PMS foods cravings: In the second half of our cycle the hormonal changes can cause a drop in blood sugar levels which leads to sugar cravings. At this time of the month serotonin levels tend to be lower. Serotonin is our "feel good" neurotransmitter but also regulates appetite, improves motility in the gut (prevents constipation), improves sensitivity to pain and converts to melatonin our sleep hormone. Because we need some carbs to make serotonin we can crave sugars and starchy carbs (like toast, pizza or cake) at this time.
- Hot flushes/night sweats: hormonal changes at perimenopause influence parts of the brain responsible for temperature regulation (thermoregulatory centres). A hot flush might be triggered by drinking a hot drink, warm room or hot weather, stress, alcohol or spicy food.
- New, or worsening headaches/migraines: fluctuating levels of oestrogen during perimenopause increases the likelihood of migraines and especially menstrual migraine. Menstrual migraines might become longer, are more likely to relapse, might be more severe and more disabling compare to attacks at other times of the menstrual cycle. As menstrual cycles shorten during perimenopause, menstrual attacks occur more frequently.
- New, or worsening anxiety/depression can be due to declining Progesterone levels which happens during perimenopause. That makes us less resilient to stress and shell of our former selves. Lower levels of Progesterone can destabilise the HPA(hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis, our stress response system affecting nervous system and causing feel us vulnerable and unsafe.
- Weight gain is very common during perimenopause. Normally, during the luteal phase of the cycle, progesterone raises body temperature meaning that the use of energy increases. In perimenopause, progesterone levels are the first that start to lower down, causing us not to burn as much energy as we used to. With the decline of oestrogen, fat starts to be stored around abdomen, hips and tights.
- Disruptive sleep: As progesterone is involved in GABA (relaxing neurotransmitter) production, declining levels of it might be the cause of insomnia during perimenopause. The "happiness hormone" serotonin lowers together with progesterone, what might also hugely effect sleep quality and quantity.
- Water retention: Progesterone is natural diuretic, which reduces bloating, swellings and water retention. In perimenopause, declining levels of progesterone and imbalanced oestrogen levels might increase the tendency to retain more fluids than usually.
- Bloating/constipation: few facts about Progesterone and it's impact on guts
1. Progesterone can affect gut motility by relaxing the smooth muscles in the intestines.
2. Progesterone has been shown to decrease intestinal permeability
3.Progesterone has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to regulate immune response.
Thus, lowering progesterone may contribute to increased gut inflammation, bloating, constipation, and IBS.
If you spot the early signs of perimenopause, know that you CAN make the adjustments in your diet and lifestyle what helps you to experience the healthiest and easiest transition possible through this period of life
HOW TO MANAGE THE PERIMENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS
(general recommendations) (read here)
It’s never too soon to start taking care of yourself in order to prepare and support
body through this natural process of life.
HOW CAN I HELP
In order to prescribe personalised nutrition plan and supplements (if needed) to support you through this journey I would possibly need to run some of the functional tests:
1. Full Blood Count test, including thyroid, hs-HbA1c and CRP
2. Nutrigenomic tests, including Nutrient Core, Hormone, Methylation or Detoxification panels. The tests analyse genes, involved in the regulation, synthesis, signalling, transport and metabolism of corticosteroids and sex steroids hormones, and looks at how gene variants affect hormones imbalances, and details the nutrients and environmental factors that can influence and balance hormones.
3. Not always necessary but might be very helpful, DUTCH test to measure all kinds of hormones from oestrogen and progesterone to testosterone and cortisol. The test results tells not only the levels of these hormones in the body, but also how the hormones are metabolised. Typical tests you can get from GP are nowhere near as helpful, and they don't look at these important markers.
Your test results are then interpreted for you and a personalised nutrition and life style plan is created.
1. Full Blood Count test, including thyroid, hs-HbA1c and CRP
2. Nutrigenomic tests, including Nutrient Core, Hormone, Methylation or Detoxification panels. The tests analyse genes, involved in the regulation, synthesis, signalling, transport and metabolism of corticosteroids and sex steroids hormones, and looks at how gene variants affect hormones imbalances, and details the nutrients and environmental factors that can influence and balance hormones.
3. Not always necessary but might be very helpful, DUTCH test to measure all kinds of hormones from oestrogen and progesterone to testosterone and cortisol. The test results tells not only the levels of these hormones in the body, but also how the hormones are metabolised. Typical tests you can get from GP are nowhere near as helpful, and they don't look at these important markers.
Your test results are then interpreted for you and a personalised nutrition and life style plan is created.
BOOK face-to-face consultation or free 15min phone call by:
email. [email protected]
tel. +447972705733
email. [email protected]
tel. +447972705733